Lost my Kronos X5 =(

Recently I lost my aluminum Kronos X5 on a trip (I blame the clip). I filed a lost-and-found with American Airlines, but I don’t expect anything to come of that — probably some lucky person in Chicago O’Hare, where I sat during a layover, is smiling.

Anyway, I need to replace it, because the X6 is too big to be a comfortable EDC. I see the Astrolux version at Banggood, so maybe I’ll just pick up one of those unless there’s a another custom build coming up that would be a good replacement. However, both the copper and aluminum are currently about the same price. Which should I get? I really liked the aluminum’s weight and the ability to turn it off by twisting the tail cap, but the copper is so pretty…

Aside, when I travel and take a flashlight, I put my name, address, and contact info on a piece of paper inside or on tape on the battery, with “reward for return if found”
Haven’t lost a light since I started doing that so don’t know if anyone would bother contacting me, but a little hope is worth encouraging. Some people are honest out there.

I still bemoan my Arc LS that disappeared from checked luggage at Denver airport sometime around 2003.

I lost an expensive Benchmade automatic pocketknife to a loose clip one day. Was about a decade ago, maybe 12ish years now. I even knew the clip was loose and hadn’t bothered to tighten it up. I replaced the knife and now I keep a much closer eye on my pocket clips, but I still regret losing that knife. Sorry for your loss.

I have a Nichia 219c 5000K in it currently, and tried an XPL 7A prior. The beam profile is still great with a domed emitter… Beam is slightly wider, with a good transition from hotspot to corona, I will get a wall shot comparing them up later..

Oh, hmm…just noticed the public code is still good for the aluminum Kronos X5/X6 set, although about $7 more than it was. Seems silly to order just an X5 now. But what am I going to do with the spare X6? Too bad I can’t get two X5s for that price.

Comparison pic of X5 with Stock Emitter XPL-HI on left, and Nichia 219C 5000K (domed) on right
The 219C is not as intense as the XPL HI, but the hotspot is smaller with a more even primary spill around the hotspot.

Comparison pic of X5 with Stock Emitter XPL-HI on left, and Nichia 219C 5000K (domed) on right
The 219C is not as intense as the XPL HI, but the hotspot is smaller with a more even primary spill around the hotspot.

I forgot to add, if you do not like the K5 clip linked above, the Skilhunt H15 clip also fits. You can get them if you email service@skilhunt.com and ask for a H15 clip. The shipping costs more than the clip, so you may want to order more… The H15 clip is very nice on regular to thin clothing.

I don’t know if the X5 is the brainchild of someone who has thought long and hard about what he was going to create or that it was a spur of the moment idea to build another X6, but smaller. The result however is one of the nicest lights I own. Combining some of the better aspects of lights that were intended well but got cought up in cutting various corners. It is a kind of light that grows on you. And it is a shame when you loose one. For that reason I never carry such a light with a “clip-on-clip”. But always with a clip that has a base ring around the tube, like some Solarforce, or a clip that has to be screwed onto the tailcap. So I carry my lighter (Alu) lights with a Ti clip from Rey. The SS X6 is even to heavy for that clip, I carry that around with a big old Ti Nitecore clip.

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You are a flashaholic if you are forced to come out of the closet, to make room for more flashlights.

Sorry to hear about your loss… at least my story had a happier ending.

Last night, I dropped my flashlight somewhere along the side of the road where I had been walking. The light was my heavily-modded TrustFire F20 that has been my EDC for nearly four years now: http://budgetlightforum.com/node/15261. Since that thread, the light has been completely gutted. I think only the lens is original. Aftermarket reflector, XM-L2 emitter, Nanjg 101AK driver in three-mode group, and replacement switch.

It was getting dark, so I walked back to the house and got my S3 XP-G2 triple, and walked back near the area I had last used the light. Finally found it deep in the grass in the ditch.

Makes you realize how much you can get attached to a particular tool. I doubt I could buy this same light in the same quality as this original Manafont item. Even if I could replace it, I still couldn’t get back that patina; four years worth of pocket-carry wear to the anodization…

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Keepin’ the “B” in BLF

Don wrote:

It sounds like the XM LEDs won’t really be suitable for flashlight use. Pity…

Aside, when I travel and take a flashlight, I put my name, address, and contact info on a piece of paper inside or on tape on the battery, with “reward for return if found”
Haven’t lost a light since I started doing that so don’t know if anyone would bother contacting me, but a little hope is worth encouraging. Some people are honest out there.

Thats a darn good idea. I just may re-wrap some batteries with my name and phone number underneath the clear wrap. A luggage tag for the flashlight

This is why I attach glow-in-the-dark keyfobs to all my flashlights. (andygold at CPF used to make them)
There are other kinds, but I don’t know whose are good offhand. Anything is better than nothing though.

Living near a major earthquake fault, when all the lights go out, it’s good to be able to find the flashlights.
Even more so when I lose one in the weeds. Come back with a blue-white or UV light source and the GITD material lights up nicely.

Come back with a blue-white or UV light source and the GITD material lights up nicely.

I didn’t even THINK about UV! I have several UV lights, including a filtered 365nm and a triple-emitter blaster… The lost-and-found light has a GITD o-ring at the lens and a GITD tailcap boot. A good follow-up sweep with the UV light should have made the light stand out for much easier locating…

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Keepin’ the “B” in BLF

Don wrote:

It sounds like the XM LEDs won’t really be suitable for flashlight use. Pity…

I have a Nichia 219c 5000K in it currently, and tried an XPL 7A prior. The beam profile is still great with a domed emitter… Beam is slightly wider, with a good transition from hotspot to corona, I will get a wall shot comparing them up later..

So are “domed” emitters now the hot thing?

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(“It’s good that most people can’t remember their previous lives. Otherwise
things would be a lot more complicated than they already are.”
Ajaan Lee Dhammadharo)

I have a Nichia 219c 5000K in it currently, and tried an XPL 7A prior. The beam profile is still great with a domed emitter… Beam is slightly wider, with a good transition from hotspot to corona, I will get a wall shot comparing them up later..

So are “domed” emitters now the hot thing?

I guess what’s old is new.. Lol

I like the XPL HI, but the Nichia has less tint shift than the Cree’s and my 3000K XPL HI is in another light… Plus the price of the XPL HI is, well, higher… Now with all the extra XPL HI I have, I can do a triple XPL HI…